Recent Study Considers the True Cost of Medical Malpractice
According to a recent report published in the Journal of Patient Safety, it is estimated that over 400,000 patients die each year in the United States because of medical errors that could have been avoided. Another report found that medical errors like these cost Americans about $19.5 billion annually because of additional medical care, medication, and other corrective, or follow-up, treatments. With so much at stake in the complex world of medical mistakes, the question then becomes: who pays?
As with most other questions involving the health care industry, the answer to this question is complicated and varies depending on the parties involved. According to a recent news article, in some cases, if an error is made while a patient is being treated in a hospital, it is hospital policy to admit the mistake and provide free follow-up care. On the surface, admitting a mistake might seem like a recipe for being sued for medical malpractice. However, the article points out that there is research suggesting that an injured patient is less likely to sue for malpractice if a hospital comes clean about any errors that may have been committed.
More frequently, the article indicates, hospitals do not waive bills arising in the wake of a medical error, although the American Medical Association (AMA) and several other prominent groups are urging hospitals to do exactly that. If or until this happens, there are several other scenarios that are possible when costs associated with a possible medical error arise.